Possible assault?

Not sure if this would be the right topic but I couldn't see anything else really relevant.

I have posted this, one to ask for advice and two so that I have a written reference to it as it was a recent event and I don't want to forget anything.

I went shopping in a store today and I put items in my own bag which I was carrying while walking around the store, which I have done many times before and I know others do the same.

After a while of walking around shopping I had 3 members of the store staff (Not Security) approach me and say that they have been watching me put things in my bag and asked me to open and empty my bag. I declined as I felt there was no reason (I hadn't even gone near the tills let alone left the store!) and said that I'm still shopping.

They said that I was concealing items, which is understandable with me putting things in my own bag but as I knew I wasn't, to me there was still no reason for me to have to stop and empty out my bag for them at that time.

They surrounded me as I tried to continue walking, threatening to call the police and getting very uncomfortably close. As I felt extremely intimidated by this point I tried to get past (I did not push or shove) and the one staff member began screaming in my face and started grabbing at me and the bag.

At that point I tried to get free and all of a sudden another staff member grabbed hold of me while the other yanked the bag off my shoulder, causing me to fall backwards onto a very hard floor hurting my arm and hitting the back of my head as I landed.

As I got up the staff member who screamed at me literally turned my bag upside down (which contained fragile parcels to be taken to the post office also) and dropped everything onto the floor.

Shaken, I shouted asking what the hell they were playing at, and asked for my stuff back to which they said no. I said I want my bag and my parcels and my other items back which they initially tried to prevent me from getting but I got off the floor. I angrily said I won't be coming back in here to which they replied 'you are banned from this store and if you ever set foot in one of these stores again you will be arrested'.

I initially thought I'd wait for the police (as I think they started to call them while this was going on) but as I had items in my bag I thought I was in the wrong and left feeling very shaken and worried.

I have done a bit of reading online and from what I have found, I don't appear to have done anything wrong! It is not illegal to put items in your personal bag, and I was going to go and pay as usual once I was finished. They approached me before I even had a chance to get near a till. So now I am wondering what I can do, because this has left me feeling sick and shaken and I feel violated. Not to mention the bruising is really starting to show up now after about 2 hours. Surely this can't be at all legal?

I would be grateful if anyone could offer some advice. I don't know whether to speak to the police or will it be looked badly upon as I had items in a bag?

Re: Possible assault?

This sounds like an absolute nightmare for you. I am sure one of the clever beagles will comment as soon as they can but in the meantime, can you or someone you know take pictures of the bruising etc as they appear and develop preferably on a camera that shows the time and date clearly on the image?
I do not have the knowledge to advise you and as I say someone who can should be along soon but I think it might be a good idea to have these pictures just in case.
Px

An optimist is someone who falls off the Empire State Building, and after 50 floors says, 'So far so good'! ~ Anonymous